Merck Vet Manual vs Vetpocket
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Merck Vet Manual
This comprehensive veterinary reference app provides detailed information on thousands of animal health conditions across all species. It offers practical explanations, diagnostic and treatment options, and multimedia resources for veterinary professionals and students.
- Thousands of veterinary topics
- Expert-written and updated content
- Photos, illustrations, and videos
- Interactive case simulations
- Clinical calculators
- Reference guides and tables
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SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT DOWNLOAD *** Downloading this app is a 2-step process: installation of the app, and a full download of app content. This can take 5 to 10 minutes. Please do not navigate away from the app until both steps have been completed. *** The Merck Veterinary Manual, a renowned animal health reference for more than 60 years, covers all species and disorders of veterinary interest worldwide. This app provides veterinarians, students and other animal health professionals with clear, practical explanations of thousands of conditions across all body systems. It covers etiology, pathophysiology, and options for diagnosis and treatment. The trusted Merck Veterinary app offers: • Thousands of topics written and updated regularly by more than 400 veterinary experts from more than 20 countries • Photos, illustrations, and video of thousands of disorders and diseases • Quizzes* check knowledge of veterinary disorders, signs, and treatments • Interactive Case Simulations* test ability to treat a specific patient over the disease course • Clinical calculators • Numerous reference guides and hundreds of useful tables • Pet health content* written in consumer-friendly language for clients • FAQ and User Guide *Internet access needed. About Merck Manuals Our mission is simple: We believe that health information is a universal right and that every person is entitled to accurate, accessible and usable medical information. We have a responsibility to protect, preserve and share the best current medical information to enable more informed decisions, enhance relationships between patients and professionals, and improve health care outcomes around the world. That’s why we are making the Merck Manuals available for free in digital form to veterinary professionals and clients around the world. No registration or subscription required, and no ads. NOND-1179303-0001 04/16 This mobile application is intended for Veterinary Professionals. For more information please read the End User License Agreement at http://www.msd.com/policy/terms-of-use/home.html For more information about our privacy practices, please see our privacy commitment at https://www.msdprivacy.com Adverse Event Reporting: To report an adverse event with a specific Merck product, please call the Merck National Service Center at 1-800-672-6372. For questions or help with the app please contact merckmanualsinfo@merck.com
Vetpocket
This app is a comprehensive veterinary tool for calculating drug doses, fluid therapy, and CRIs. It also serves as a drug formulary and clinical reference with practice problems for students.
- Veterinary drug and dose calculators
- Fluid therapy and CRI calculators
- CPR and emergency calculators
- Customizable veterinary drug formulary
- Clinical reference cards
- Medical math practice problems
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Vetpocket™ is THE app for veterinary professionals, developed by a veterinarian and based on trusted sources! It includes veterinary calculators, reference material, drug dosages, and our medical math book (our medical math book is used as part of school curricula). Perfect for veterinary technicians, veterinary nurses, veterinarians, and students. Use Vetpocket™ as your all-in-one veterinary calculator, drug formulary, and clinical companion for quick answers to your questions and instant calculations, alloowing you to focus on your patients and leave work on time! POWERFUL VETERINARY CALCULATORS Perform accurate veterinary calculations in seconds with tools built for real clinical workflow: Small Animals (Dogs and Cats): • Veterinary drug dosage calculators • Fluid therapy calculators for maintenance, dehydration, and ongoing losses • Hypovolemic shock calculator • CRI calculators • Drip rate calculator • Blood transfusion calculator • Energy requirements calculator • CPR and emergency calculators for critical cases when every second counts • DKA calculators • Unit conversion calculator • Blood gas calculator • C1V1 = C2V2 calculator • Chocolate toxicity calculator • Dextrose calculator • General anesthesia fluid therapy calculator • Magnesium calculator • Phosphate calculator • Magnesium calculator • Potassium calculator (Scott's Sliding Scale and mEq/kg/hr) • Regular insulin calculator • Serum osmolarity calculator • Sodium correction calculator • Sodium correction for hyperglycemia calculator • Total body water calculator Exotic Animals (Zoo Med): • Blood volume calculator • Drug dilution calculator • Hypovolemic shock calculator CUSTOMIZABLE VETERINARY DRUG FORMULARY Turn Vetpocket™ into your own veterinary drug nerd book: • 140+ pre-filled veterinary drugs with built-in dosage calculators • Edit default dosages to match your clinic or hospital protocols • Add custom drugs, notes, and reminders to build your own veterinary drug reference REFERENCE MATERIAL Vetpocket™ is more than a vet calculator—it’s a quick clinical reference at the point of care: • Endocrinology, cardiology, anesthesia, blood gas analysis, toxicology, and more • Dentistry charts, eruption timelines, and parasitology with client-friendly handouts MEDICAL MATH & EXAM SUPPORT Reinforce vet math while you work: • Built-in medical math book with 400+ practice problems and step-by-step solutions • Great for VTNE, NAVLE, vet tech students, and vet students HOSPITAL TEAMS & CONSISTENT CARE Vetpocket™ is designed for the whole veterinary team: • Veterinary technicians and vet nurses who calculate drug dosages, CRIs, and fluids all day • Veterinarians in general practice, emergency, ICU, and specialty medicine • Vet students and vet tech students who need a bridge from classroom to clinic The Vetpocket™ School Program offers eligible veterinary and vet tech students a free year of Vetpocket™ Pro when they register with a verified school email, so they can bring a veterinary calculator and clinical reference from school into practice. WHY VETPOCKET™? • Quick, accurate, stress-free veterinary calculations • Customizable veterinary drug reference and notes • Emergency-ready calculators for CPR, shock doses, and reversals • Helpful for VTNE, NAVLE, and ongoing medical math practice • Used by veterinary professionals and students around the world SOURCES & SUBSCRIPTION TERMS Vetpocket™ content is based on trusted veterinary guidelines and manuals. A full list of sources is available in the app. Vetpocket™ Pro is available as a monthly or annual auto-renewing subscription, which unlocks all Vetpocket™ calculators, content, and drug tools while active. • Payment is charged to your Apple ID account upon purchase confirmation. • Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before renewal. • You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal in Settings > Subscriptions on your device.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Merck Vet Manual at 4.6 against Vetpocket's 3.9. Merck Vet Manual also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12) and ratings volume (224 vs 30). Vetpocket's advantage is chart position (#60 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Vetpocket sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Merck Vet Manual asks for nothing beyond the download.
Merck Vet Manual holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merck Vet Manual has 224 ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Merck Vet Manual's written reviews are positive against 72% of Vetpocket's.
Merck Vet Manual ships an update every 6 months, Vetpocket every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Merck Vet Manual | Vetpocket |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (224 ratings) — better | 3.9 (30 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.2% of reviews — better | 72.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 224 — better | 30 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #60 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 140 MB | 180 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Merck & Co Inc | Vetpocket LLC |
Customer experience
Merck Vet Manual
Vetpocket
Bugs and requests
Merck Vet Manual
Reported bugs
9 issues- App crashes when using search function
- Search returns no results or irrelevant information
- Tables crash and restart unexpectedly
- App closes mid-use during various operations
- Installation failures on iPhone and iPad
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- Download process takes excessive time
- App won't load content
- Performance degradation after iOS updates
- No audio functionality despite expectations
Requested features
8 requests- Expanded glossary with more definitions
- Better learning resources and educational materials
- More comprehensive cat owner section
- Improved search indexing system
- Sound/audio features for learning
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- Better organization of medication tables
- Updated lab values for canine conditions
- More topics and expanded coverage
Vetpocket
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Merck Vet Manual
No in-app purchases
Vetpocket
- Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Premium$14.991 Month
- Monthly$14.991 Month
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- Vetpocket Pro - Monthly$14.991 Month
- Premium7 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Yearly14 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Yearly$99.991 Year
- Yearly$129.991 Year
- Yearly1 Year trial2 variants$129.991 Year
- Vetpocket Pro – Annual (1 Year)1 Month trial$129.991 Year
- Premium7 Days trial$129.991 Year
Questions
Is Merck Vet Manual free?
Is Vetpocket free?
Which has better reviews, Merck Vet Manual or Vetpocket?
Do Merck Vet Manual or Vetpocket have ads?
Which is updated more often, Merck Vet Manual or Vetpocket?
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